For anyone interested, I was able to get the thing fixed. I took it to a local "Import Auto/Classic Shop" They did a very nice welding job on the broken peice and repaitned it so it looks good as new. They were able to reinfource the pivotby building the sides up with the weld. It cost me about $125. I guess only time will tell how well it works.

I asked the guy who worked on it how they get that peice instaled in the first place. The only explanatin that really makes since is thay weld it in place before they assemble the door frame!

In an unrelated experience I did discover that it should be possible to remove one of those pivots that has broken loose without cutting up the car. If you remove the carpet you will find a single screw that holds on the trim for the side panel. This trim is also attached with a clip almost in the center of the panel and the bottom corner is locked under the door molding. If you take out the screw, free the bottom of the panel you can slide panel back into the doorway to remove it. It seems that one should be able to recreive a lost peice out of one of the holes that provide entrance to the door jam. It might require the us of a magnet.

Thanks again for all the info and kibtuzing

__________________
DEH
"Beauty" '84 300 TD
Navy/Navy
169,000 mi